Brooder



Sept. 12, 1944. 1 MARICK 2,358,081

BROODER Filed Jan. 2, 1941 INVENTOR LOUIS PLARICK /L1 Me ATTORN EY Patented Sept. 12, 1944 BROODER Louis Marick, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich, as-' signor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 2, 1941, Serial No. 372,698

2 Claims.

This invention relates to poultry brooders and, in particular, to heating elements for brooders.

It is well known that in the successful rearing of poultry it is essential that the environment of the early stages of their existence be in keeping with their delicate condition. Experience has proved that it is necessary to the healthy condition of newly hatched poultry to have their places of confinement, commonly known as brooders, provided with heating means. There are several conventional devices for accomplishing this, one of which includes the use of electrically heated wire elements disposed in the upper region of the brooder. This method of heating has several disadvantages. Electrical wire elements are usually excessively hot in close proximity thereto and have a tendency to concentrate more heat in the region directly beneath them, resulting in uneven heating over the floor area of the brooder. Elements of this type also constitute a fire hazard and precautions must be taken against this danger. It is also necessary to provide a safety electrical connection, taken along lines IV-IV of Fig.3.

Referring to the drawing and, in particular, to

' Fig. l, I show a conventional type of brooder i of rectangular shape, comprising an outer frame ll, supporting a wire screen l2 which forms the sides and ends, a top sheet metal cover l3, and a close mesh wire flooring l4. Contained within the brooder and supported by adjusting screws [5 and I6 is a sheet metal canopy H. In addition to serving as a suspending medium, the screws l5 and I6, cooperating with the nuts I8 and I9, respectively, also permit the heating unit to be raised in accordance with the growth of the breeder occupants, such as a baby chick 20, Fig. 2. The sheet metal canopy l1 extends almost the entire length and width of the brooder. It acts as a means to support the heating unit in operative position.

screen over the exposed elements to prevent the occupants of the brooder from coming in contact with the elements. The use of hot Water circulation for heating likewise is undesirable in that controlled variable temperatures are not easily maintained.

The present invention contemplates the heating of poultry brooders in such a manner as to distribute heat uniformly over a relatively large area and to provide a healthful radiant heat. The arrangement is neat in appearance and requires a minimum of space inside the brooder. It can be readily installed and adapted to any desired shape of brooder. It is economical in power consumption due to the area from which heat is dissipated at an even temperature. Fire hazard is reduced to a minimum and the relatively low temperature of the heating elements in no way endangers the life of the occupants of the brooder.

Th features of the invention will be further understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a brooder electrically heated in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse view, in section, taken along the lines IL-II of Fig. 1;

Positioned on the under side of the sloped portions of the canopy H are insulating members 2| and 22 (Fig. 2) held in place by bolts 23. The members 2| and 22 can be composed of any commercially known material having insulating qualities capable of preventing heat loss when the heating units are attached thereto. Celotex is such a material.

The electrically heated panels embodying my invention may be constructed to conform with any desired shape of brooder while maintaining equal efficiency throughout. It is generally accepted in the heating of brooders that the source of heat be such that warm air is applied to the backs of the occupants, this being in accordance With natural conditions.

The heating units are constructed as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, consisting of fabric sheets 25 and 25. The sheets 24 and 25 may be of woven cotton fabric or other textile material. One or both surfaces of these sheets is coated with an electrically conducting composition, such, for example, as a rubber compound containing sufficient electrically conducting carbon particles to make an electrical conductor of the sheets 24 and 25. The degree of conductivity in the prepared sheets is dependent on the type of carbon and the carbon content of the compound deposited thereupon. For instance, the composition may have a large percentage of carbon or successive coats of a compound having fewer carbon particles. The desired temperature may be attained by employing either of the two methods.

While I have illustrated a preferred construction of heating unit in the use of a fabric sheet, equally good results may be obtained by coating contact between the bolt dition exists with respect materials other than fabric, such as asbestos, or by applying the compound containing the carbon particles directly to the insulating members 2| and 22. A sheet formed of rubber or other plastic material containing the necessary current conducting carbon content may likewise be used with efficient results. One example of a compound having good electrically conducting qualities used in coating the sheets 24 and 25 is as follows:

Rubber 100 Acetylene carbon black 85 Zinc oxide Antioxidant .75 Accelerator 2.00 Deodorant .10 Softener 7.00 Vulcanizing agent .75

To these ingredients is added a solvent such as 1500 parts of gasoline, and the resulting mixture is applied to the fabric in the form of a cement.

The electrical current for heating the sheets 24 and 25 (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) is supplied by conducting wires 26, 27, 28, and 29. The wires 26 and 27 are not insulated and are disposed along the marginal edges of the fabric sheet 24, the marginal edge portions being turned over the wires to form folds and 3| and these folds are cemented to the fabric sheet. The wires 28 and 29 are similarly located along the edges of the sheet 25.

The fabric sheets 24 and 25 may be cemented or otherwise secured to the insulating members 2| and 22 respectively. A bolt 32 (Fig. 4) extends through the insulating panel 2| and fabric sheet 24 and forms a contact with the wire 26. is cut away to permit 32 and the wire 26. In addition to formingelectrical contact, the

' bolt also serves to secure the sheet 24 to the insulated panel 2|. Each of the four corners of the sheets 24 and 25 are similarly constructed. An electrical current is supplied to each of the wires 26, 21, 28, and 29 through additional insulated wires 33, 34, 35, and 36, respectively, secured to the bolt The wires 33 and 34 leading to the ends of the conducting wires 26 and 27, respectively, are of different electrical potential and a similar conto the other unit. The

insulated wires 33, 34, 35, and 36 extend to form a cable 31' which connects with a conventional 'plug 38 (Fig. 1) adapted to contact with a source for supplying electrical energy.

' To compensate for variable temperatures due to climatic conditions,

a suitable conventional 32 at one end of the panels.

apparent that the invention provides a novel method of supplying heat to a brooder or like article in th form of infra-red rays arranged to transmit a mild heat uniformly and efiiciently distributed. While I have thus shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is susceptible-of modifications as appearing within the scope of the invention and as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus shown and described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patentis:

1. A brooder comprising a confining enclosure having a floor and cover, a canopy supported in spaced relation between the floor and cover, heatin units secured to, the lower face of the canopy to direct heat rays towards .the floor, each of said units comprising a sheet material extending throughout a substantial area of the canopy, an electrically conducting layer oi -rubber composition carried by the sheet material and forming a conductor sheet of substantial area adapted to dissipate heat uniformly therefrom, and spaced parallel conductor wires secured to the opposite marginal portions of the conductor sheet, whereby when an operating current is supplied to said wires it will be conducted by the conductor sheet/laterally from'one wire to the other to heat the brooder to atemperature within a few degrees of the temperature of the heating sheet.

2. A brooder comprising a confining enclosure having a floor and a canopy supported in spaced relation to the floor, heating units secured to the lower face of the canopy to direct heat rays towards the floor, each of said units comprising a sheet material extending throughout a sub stantial area of the canopy, an electrically conducting layer of plastic material containing current conducting carbon carried by the sheet LOUIS MARICK. 

